I-10 closures could cause problems for drivers

BATON ROUGE - Portions of I-10 eastbound between the 10/12 split and Essen Lane will reduce to one lane this weekend.

It's part of the next phase of construction where crews will rebuild three eastbound lanes and a new bridge over Essen.

The Essen exit will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

The flyover ramp connecting I-12 westbound to I-10 eastbound will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday until 10 a.m. Saturday.

The closures are needed in order to shift the eastbound lanes onto the recently finished westbound side. DOTD said crews will move as fast as mother nature allows.

"Obviously the weather is looking kind of iffy right now, but we're going to keep people up to date, and we just want motorists to bear with us and be careful," said Bill Grass, a spokesperson with the Geaux Wider Team.

Weather permitting, widening between the 10/12 split and Siegen Lane is scheduled to be complete by early 2013.